SEAT REVIEWS: King’s Theatre, Glasgow
OVERVIEW:
The King’s Theatre, Glasgow is a 1785 seat theatre on four levels.
It comprises (from floor up): Stalls, Grand Circle, Upper Circle and Gallery.
686 seats in the STALLS
320 seats in the GRAND CIRCLE
278 seats in the UPPER CIRCLE
501 seats in the GALLERY
The theatre also has a number of boxes.
The theatre is almost always busy and consequently is extremely hot. Wear layers, bring a (non-electric) fan. It is an Edwardian building with no air-conditioning.
INDIVIDUAL SEAT REVIEWS:
STALLS: Aisles at left and right side of auditorium, no central aisle.
| ROW | INDIVIDUAL SEAT REVIEWS |
| A | A6 – Partially Restricted View
A7 – Partially Restricted View A8 – Partially Restricted View A9/10 – Front row. but view of right hand side of stage is obstructed a little due to the closeness of the stage and the angle of seat. Legroom excellent. A23 – Excellent view, if you want to be a part of the action, up close to the actors then this is an excellent seat. Lots of legroom. A24 – Front row, the orchestra pit is in front of this row separated by a railing. This seat is just off-centre so avoids the problem of the musical director standing directly in front of you. Excellent legroom. The view is excellent and the neck ache not so bad from being so close to the action. You can see every minute detail from here. Excellent room to stretch out legs. A25 – Front row, on the left hand side facing stage. You can see every detail (good & bad) from here. A little neck stretching but nothing to moan about. Right amongst the action. A31 – Partially Restricted View A32 – Partially Restricted View A33 – Partially Restricted View |
| B | B5 – Partially Restricted View
B6 – Partially Restricted View B19/20 – This seat very much depends on your personal preference. Great if you like being close up where you may need to move head from side to side. If you prefer a fuller view of the action, maybe move further back. Decent legroom/ comfort. B31 – Partially Restricted View B32 – Partially Restricted View |
| C | C4 – Partially Restricted View
C5 – Partially Restricted View C6 – Partially Restricted View C30 – Partially Restricted View C31 – Partially Restricted View C32 – Partially Restricted View |
| D | D4 – Partially Restricted View
D33 – Partially Restricted View |
| E | E3 – Partially Restricted View
E4 – Partially Restricted View E33 – Partially Restricted View |
| F | F3 – Partially Restricted View
F34 – Partially Restricted View |
| G | G2 – Partially Restricted View
G34 – Partially Restricted View |
| H | H1 – Partially Restricted View
H21/22 – The seats are offset so you can see between the heads of the people in front if there is someone tall in front of you. Otherwise it’s smack bang in the middle and far enough back to see the whole stage without having to look side to side. Feels close to the action. Great view. H36 – Partially Restricted View |
| J | J3/4 – Very good, clear views of the stage, usually at a discounted price due to proximity to the end of the row. Rows are fairly close together so leg room could be more generous, but seats do not feel too cramped. Not central but very little action will be missed.
Great for an immersive panto/big musical night.  Picture taken of the Pre-set from stalls seat J3/4, Sleeping Beauty January 2018 |
| K | K29/30 – Good view, over on left hand side of auditorium facing stage.
Overhang of grand circle above head. Could be problematic if very tall people in front. |
| L | |
| M | |
| N | |
| O | |
| P | P1/2 – The legroom is good, No. 1 seat on the aisle, but the circle overhangs above you and
therefor gives you a restricted view. It’s almost like a letter box effect. The looming roof above personally made me feel a bit claustrophobic. Price of ticket usually reflects any problems. P19/20 – Decent, not brilliant legroom, overhang from circle above head, full stage visible. Doesn’t feel too far from stage despite being 15 rows back. P25/26 – Overhang from circle above does block the view of the whole top of stage/set. A bit ominous feeling for me. |
| Q | |
| R | |
| S | S27/28 – Restricted view seat. The overhang of the circle is at its most obvious/oppressive here.
Top of stage view is cut off. Close to the very cramped Stalls Bar! |
| T | T6 – companion seat for wheelchair space
T7 – wheelchair space T10 – companion seat for wheelchair space T12 – companion seat for wheelchair space T13 – wheelchair space |
| U | U3 – Partially Restricted View
U4 – Partially Restricted View U5 – Partially Restricted View U6 – Partially Restricted View U13 – Wheelchair space U29 – Partially Restricted View U30 – Partially Restricted View U31 – Partially Restricted View U32 – Partially Restricted View |
GRAND CIRCLE: Comprises only eight rows. The seats are curved with an aisle down the middle and two side aisles. These seats are generally in the top pricing bands.
| ROW | INDIVIDUAL SEAT REVIEWS |
| A | A32/33 – Excellent view of the whole stage. Good leg room.
As front row, no-one in front to obscure view. ** Many seats in the middle section of the front row have very little leg room. Knees scraping against the front of circle. Choose sides of row A if possible. |
| B | B6/7 – Seemingly better view than seats a few along in rows behind.
Excellent view of the stage and there seems to be no issue with those in front obstructing view. Leg room good. B32 – Good view of whole of stage. Sightlines good. May be problems if very tall person in front, but good panorama of stage. B33 – Good view of whole stage. Sightlines should be fine unless you have the tallest of theatre-goers in front of you. The seats are off-set (it is also on the curve of the row so this allows a few more cms/inches of view between the seats). Legroom OK, standard for The King’s. |
| C | C9/10 – Average to good all round – legroom OK as long as your not tall, comfort average. I wouldn’t say it was the most comfortable. View Good.
C11 – Average legroom, decent view of average height person in front. C32/33 – OK legroom, on left hand side of auditorium facing stage. Slightly angled so extreme left hand side of set is cut off a little. |
| D | D8/9 – On the curve, good, slightly side-on view but can see almost all of the stage.
Problems may arise if a tall person sits in front where you will have to squint between the shoulders of the people in front. D10/11 – good leg room. On the curve, view fine as long as the person in front is not too tall. Depending on the set design the view of the right side of the stage from the auditorium is blocked a little. D12/13 – decent leg room, view very good, this could be affected if the person in front is very tall. Seat slightly offset so you can see between heads. D18/19 – good leg room, very good view. View straight on to the stage. Whole stage can be seen easily. D30/31 – on the left hand curve. Good view can generally see above/ between the people in front. OK leg room. D33/34 – Offers good, clear views of most of the stage. Due to proximity to the end of the row, the angle does give a look into the wings and slightly limited view of stage right, depending on the production. Any further (i.e. towards D40) would offer a restricted view of stage right. Leg room is acceptable but limited seat width, so expect to be very close to your neighbours.  Picture taken from Grand Circle seats D33/34 of The Play That Goes Wrong Feb 2018 |
| E | E8/9 – on right hand curve, slight side on view, but great view of stage. Legroom a little restricted.
E12/13 – good view of stage, decent leg room. E22 – Seat 22 is the aisle seat and allows you to stretch your legs. Straight on view of the stage. View blocked by average-sized person in front despite seat reviewer being 5ft 8 inches tall. Could lean into aisle to see most of stage (some still blocked on left hand side). E23 – Decent leg room, view restricted to between the heads of 2 people in front – seat reviewer 5ft 2 inches tall. E31/32 – middle of curve on left hand side. Good view, slightly side on. Legroom OK for the average sized person. E34/35 – on curve on left hand side looking towards stage. View was a bit restricted by taller people in front, which resulted in a lot of peering side to side to catch all of the action. |
| F | F16/17 – middle of the auditorium. Straight on view of the stage. Can be problematic as with many seats in this theatre if anyone tall sits in front or if person in front leans to one or other side of seat.
F31/32 – on curve on left hand side of grand circle. Decent view as people in front not very tall. Legroom not brilliant but bearable. F34/35 – on curve on left hand side of circle. Good view, better than F31/32. Legroom good as where it curves around allows for more knee room. |
| G | G36/37 – left hand side of the curved Grand Circle. Overhang from Upper Circle above head, you are aware it’s there but it doesn’t cut off view of stage. Left hand of stage heading into wings is cut off. Very much a 45% angled view towards stage. Legroom fine if average height. |
| H |
GRAND CIRCLE BOXES:
Grand Circle Box 3 – Seats 1 and 2 (complete 2 seat Box) – You tend to only be able to book Box for selected shows. Incredibly spacious for leg room, with positionable armchairs that, if placed correctly will vastly improve stage views. Views of stage are surprisingly good compared to the Box reputation, with very clear views of stage right, though limited viewing of down stage left. Book for a show that is an experience (like a pantomime). Would also work well for a one-person event, like a stand up or music event. All boxes are sold as partially restricted view.
Picture taken of the Pre-set, Elf: The Musical November 2017 From Grand Circle Box 3 seats 1 and 2.
Grand Circle Box 1 (nearest stage, in front of Box 3) seats 4 people and would allow better stage views, and less restriction of views to Down stage Left.
Picture taken Inverval, Elf the Musical November 2017 From Gran Circle Box 3 seats 1 and 2
UPPER CIRCLE:
Entry from outside front of theatre next to main entrance, up a good few flights of stairs. No lift.
The Upper Circle has boxes – all sold as Partially Restricted View
| ROW | INDIVIDUAL SEAT REVIEWS |
| A | A4 – Restricted Legroom and Partially Restricted View
A5 – Restricted Legroom and Partially Restricted View A6 – Restricted Legroom and Partially Restricted View A7 – Restricted Legroom and Partially Restricted View A8 – Restricted Legroom A9 – Restricted Legroom A10 – Restricted Legroom A11 – Restricted Legroom A12 – Restricted Legroom A13 – Restricted Legroom A14 – Restricted Legroom A15 – Restricted Legroom A16 – Restricted Legroom A17 – Restricted Legroom A18 – Restricted Legroom A19 – Restricted Legroom A20 – Restricted Legroom A22 – Restricted Legroom A23 – Restricted Legroom A24 – Restricted Legroom A25 – Restricted Legroom A26 – Restricted Legroom A27 – Restricted Legroom A28 – Restricted Legroom A29 – Restricted Legroom A30 – Restricted Legroom A31 – Restricted Legroom A32 – Restricted Legroom A33 – Restricted Legroom A34 – Restricted Legroom A35 – Restricted Legroom A36 – Restricted Legroom A37 – Restricted Legroom A38 – Restricted Legroom A39 – Restricted Legroom A40 – Restricted Legroom A41 – Restricted Legroom and Partially Restricted View |
| B | B2 – Restricted Legroom
B3 – Restricted Legroom B4 – Restricted Legroom B5 – Restricted Legroom B21 – Restricted Legroom B22 – Restricted Legroom B23 – Restricted Legroom B39 – Restricted Legroom B40 – Restricted Legroom B41 – Restricted Legroom B42 – Restricted Legroom |
| C | C3 – Partially Restricted View
C42 – Partially Restricted View |
| D | D38/39 – High up, but not as removed from the action as you would probably expect. Akin to a bird’s eye view looking over the stage action. Price reflects problems. |
| E | E23/24 – The top of the stage is cut off. For the fact that it is pretty high in the auditorium, it doesn’t feel as if it is that far from the action. Usual bum-numbing seat. OK for price.
E24 – In this row, not too far from general action, but actor’s expressions are not easy to see at all. Would be better for a musical than a play for that reason. Just off centre. Little bits of action clipped off at both sides. No legroom, had aching knees and hips. |
| F | F9/10 – on curve, good view of stage. Decent comfort, OK legroom if medium height.
F10 – View decent. Legroom OK for all except the tallest. The seat is as comfortable as can be expected in any standard theatre. |
| G |
GALLERY:
On a general note, the first four rows in the gallery are all impeded by the handrail running along the front of the section. There is generally a lack of legroom and the comfort of the seats is compromised. All of this is reflected in the price of the tickets.
There is no lift and these seats are a long haul up to the top of the theatre. Entry is by the door at the side of the theatre.
| ROW | INDIVIDUAL SEAT REVIEWS |
| A | A3 – Partially Restricted View
A4 – Partially Restricted View A5 – Partially Restricted View A6 – Partially Restricted View A7 – Partially Restricted View A8 – Partially Restricted View A9 – Partially Restricted View A10 – Partially Restricted View A11 – Partially Restricted View A12 – Partially Restricted View A13 – Partially Restricted View A14 – Partially Restricted View A15 – Partially Restricted View A16 – Partially Restricted View A17 – Partially Restricted View A18 – Partially Restricted View A19 – Partially Restricted View A20 – Partially Restricted View A21 – Partially Restricted View A22 – Partially Restricted View A23 – Partially Restricted View – on aisle. Crumbly painted handrail right in eyeline. You only get a ‘letterbox’ view of stage looking down on action. Sooo uncomfortable. No legroom even with aisle seat and being a short audience member. Agony on knees/hips/legs. A25 – Partially Restricted View – No legroom, rail affects view (you have to bob up and down (low) to see anything) and the seat is utterly uncomfortable. A26 – Partially Restricted View A27 – Partially Restricted View A28 – Partially Restricted View A29 – Partially Restricted View A30 – Partially Restricted View A31 – Partially Restricted View A32 – Partially Restricted View A40 – Officially a restricted view seat, which does live up to its name. It is possible to lean forward for an unrestricted view (this may annoy others behind you), but otherwise a very prominent bar will obstruct a small but annoyingly significant proportion of on-stage action. Leg room is very limited and proximity to next seats does not allow for any fumbling for sweets. Price does reflect its restrictive nature but not the worst on a budget. Would recommend something more central a few rows back for best balcony viewing. A42 – Partially Restricted View  Picture taken of Gallery Seat A40 Preset, Beautiful February 2018 (Leaning forward)  Picture taken of seat A40 at interval, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical February 2018 from seated view. See picture above for contrast. |
| B | B22 – Partially Restricted View
B23 – Partially Restricted View B43 – Partially Restricted View |
| C | C22 – Partially Restricted View
C23 – Partially Restricted View C44 – Partially Restricted View |
| D | D22 – Partially Restricted View
D23 – Partially Restricted View D44 – Partially Restricted View |
| E | E22 – Partially Restricted View
E23 – Partially Restricted View |
| F | F23 (on aisle) F24 – F23 has a little leeway with legroom as it’s on the aisle.
Actual seat bum-numbingly uncomfortable. There is a safety rail at front and from these seats it impinges on view. Might be better a few more seats along in the same row. Very high, very far from action, didn’t feel part of the experience. |
| G | |
| H | |
| J | J23 – On aisle so better legroom if you stick one leg out into it. Seat uncomfortable. Far back so can’t see any actor’s/singer’s expression from here. Can see most of the stage though but handrail at front still in view.
J41 – Awful! 3 in from left aisle. Nose bleed seats. Sore bottom. Nearly no view. 4th row from back. Too far away from stage experience. |
| K | |
| L | L30 – Too far from action. Couldn’t hear dialogue particularly well for a huge proportion of the show.
L30 – 2nd back row of a very high gallery. No lift – looooong way up. No legroom. View poor and seat uncomfortable. So far away from action, you would be as well at home – don’t feel you’re part of the theatre experience. Sound isn’t brilliant from here. If actors/singers can’t project, it’s hard to hear. |
| M | M23 – Back row. Letterbox view of stage. Not ideal if you want to actually see the show. That said, legroom is OK. |
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